Best Console RPGs?

[Huntn]

the DDS series was my recent faves
am enjoying the xbox 360 jrpgs as of late - really surprised me with the quality on the system...

JRPGS like Lost Odyssey are beautiful looking games, just not my cup of tea.

 

[ZiggyPastorius]

Didn't see why Mario RPG is so loved by some. Am I fanboy immune or just cynical? Maybe since I didn't play it when it was originally released I'm jaded since I don't have the nostalgia. Others have done that formula better and it was repetitive and not very interesting to me personally.

Paul

You're a heretic! 😛

The amazing thing about the game at the time was a few things...first, it was a concept that no one thought was going to work at the time. Mario was a classic 2-d side scrolling game and no one thought they were going to be able to turn it into an RPG successfully. Then there were the graphics. Only four other games released for the SNES had comparable or better graphics, three of those being the Donkey Kong Country games and the last being Killer Instinct. That's in terms of game's reception and execution.

As for the game play and story, I would still argue it to be really good. Of course, if you don't like it, then it really doesn't matter, but I thought the storyline was a lot more original than it could have been. Sure, you still have Mario, Peach and Bowser from Mario, but you've added Geno and Mallow, which were great ideas for characters, and fit well in with the game (With Mallow having a side story of trying to find his parents which is developed in three different locations alongside the main storyline within the game and Geno being essential to the main storyline). I think the bosses were well made, witty, and difficult, and I think Square did a good job of creating the "Super Mario RPG" personalities for the characters, even those known for other Mario games. I'm interested in hearing what you think is repetitive, though, as the game is actually (the way I see it) pretty well structured to avoid a lot of repetitiveness. In terms of skills and specials and such, there's a lot less variety than in other games, like Final Fantasy, but the monsters are objectively contained in an area, not just respawned randomly. Also, the idea to make the monsters all visible and you able to attack first (which is something they continued with Paper Mario, if I remember correctly) was a good choice. There's a bunch of stuff like that, and I think the game is wonderful. I can still play it today, despite having beaten it many times and played it since I was really young. It's made its way into my mind as a classic.

 

[0098386]

You're a heretic! 😛

The amazing thing about the game at the time was a few things...first, it was a concept that no one thought was going to work at the time. Mario was a classic 2-d side scrolling game and no one thought they were going to be able to turn it into an RPG successfully. Then there were the graphics. Only four other games released for the SNES had comparable or better graphics, three of those being the Donkey Kong Country games and the last being Killer Instinct. That's in terms of game's reception and execution.

No Yoshi's Island or Starfox? Heretic yourself 😛

I still need to get my hands on that Mario RPG. I've got Paper Mario (64) and it's pretty ace, and that Superstar Saga which is equally brilliant. So it's a good run so far 😀

 

[pcypert]

I don't know. Original Zelda caught me, the only non Mario Mario game that's really caught me was the first Paper Mario (though I've still enjoyed all the others almost as much). Thought Paper Marios were better than RPG.

I'd love to replay the Wii Paper Mario, but all all that stupid talking and storyline garbage. I'd love a Paper Mario styled straight platformer...lots of levels and secrets in the levels....

Paul

 

[GFLPraxis]

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars wins hands down as not only my nomination for best RPG ever, but for top three best games ever made.

QFT

 

[danny_w]

I don't know. Original Zelda caught me, the only non Mario Mario game that's really caught me was the first Paper Mario (though I've still enjoyed all the others almost as much). Thought Paper Marios were better than RPG.

I'd love to replay the Wii Paper Mario, but all all that stupid talking and storyline garbage. I'd love a Paper Mario styled straight platformer...lots of levels and secrets in the levels....

Paul

All that platformer stuff though is exactly what I don't like. give me an RPG with a good story line and no running/jumping/platform stuff and I can really go for it. Unfortunately too many games these days try to combine genres and end up as unplayable IMHO.

 

[Huntn]

Years ago my game addicted friend showed me Heros of Might and Magic. The concept of RPGs attracted me. I like developing a character. But the environments in the early days of RPGs just did not do it for me. The first RPG that hooked me was World of Warcraft. The environments are open, intriguing, and basically worth exploring plus the attraction of a thousand people on a server (or whatever the number is). This made the world seem more real.

However you pay a price for the thousand players. For everyone to get the same experience, the developer creates a static, never changing world. I know there have been some exceptions in MMORPGs, but none of them have really attracted me. My primary attraction is player vs environment (PVE) exploring the environment, discovery and the ability to explore a changing world. This is where RPGs have the advantage. Ultimately an open world RPG with coop abilities is ideal for me. At the top I rank WoW and Elder Scrolls4:Oblivion (no coop 🙁). Gothic 3 has a pretty open world, but it never really clicked for me. What I really dislike are invisible walls that prevent movement and even keep you from jumping or accidentally falling off of ledges as in Guild Wars and Never Winter Nights 2.